I absolutely love the whole concept of recycling used things, or repurposing something old and turning it into something new and functional again. This is why I am always on the lookout for handmade shops that make use of recyclable and sustainable materials to produce their items.
So many things can be recycled, utilized, and enjoyed for a longer time, instead of letting them end up in the landfill so quickly. Take for instance, tin cans.
When was the last time you have opened a can of tomato sauce and actually thought of saving the empty tin to make it into something useful again?
This post is a collection of creative ideas I found online on how to make functional, decorative things out of tin cans. Scroll down and you might be surprised at the many things you can do with an old tuna can, like this vintage coffee can which was upcycled into a one-of-a-kind desk lamp.
Decorative Tin – Vases and Planters
Tins can be painted on, covered with lovely paper or fabric, embellished with what-knots, stripped to plain metal, or kept in their original packaging (very Warhol), and be used again as decor.
Used cans can become vases for freshly-cut florals, or planters for succulents, herbs, and small plants.
Tin Can Organizers
Hang tin cans in the craft room or in the kitchen to keep your tools organized. The round shape of the cans are ideal to hold pliers, scissors, craft tools, the egg beater, spoon and fork, and other utensils.
Mini tin cans are perfect for sorting and storing screws, bolts, and other small hardware. Screwed against the wall and with both lids removed, cans can hold rolled magazines, too!
Tin Can Lights
Found these modern upcycled can pendant lamps and desk lamps. What a lovely idea to make old tin cans into darling, inexpensive glowing lanterns! Or making a pretty votive candle holder out of a tuna can, with a washi tape?
Tin Can Recycling DIY Tutorials
Empty tin cans can be recycled in a lot of different ways, so the next time you’re using canned mushroom for spaghetti, please consider recycling, repurposing, or upcycling that piece of scrap before throwing it in the trash bin.
Below is a roundup of resources on how to recycle or upcycle tins for in different ways. You can click on the links to see the diy tutorials:
Upcycled Tin Cans for Your Desk
Vintage French-Inspired Tin Cans
Do you have other ideas on recycling tin cans?
You’re welcome to share your tips or links to related posts in the comments.